Pet excrement tool with intergrated and selectively activated lighting

ABSTRACT

This invention comprises an animal waste collection device with a battery operated dual illumination system capable of illuminating the area where a pet has left fecal matter at night. System  1  has dual LED lights located on either side of the device which are operated via dual switches in the handle. These lights allow the operator to see the fecal matter. System  2  is comprised of lights located within the pick-up area of the device and is automatically activated when the pick-up device is opened. These lights automatically turn off when the device closes. Once the operator has captured the fecal matter he can release the switch turning off the device. The device has reflective tape on both sides causing oncoming traffic to see the operator walking. System  1  lights may be activated when vehicles approach as an added safety feature.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 120 based on Provisional Application No. 61/573,598 filed on Sep. 12, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of pet excrement collection tools.

Pet owners often walk those pets during darkness and experience the need to pick up the pets' excrement and to light their own way in the darkness. Sometimes those pet owners also experience the need to enhance their own visibility to others, such as drivers of passing motor vehicles or bicycles.

Various solutions to these problems have been proposed by others, but these solutions often other a solution to only one of the problems mentioned above, or are rather clumsy integrations of lighting and pet excrement tools that do not adequately address the needs of a pet owner that must control the pet with a leash or similar tool with one hand while removing excrement with the other.

The present invention offers pet owners an integrated tool for removing pet excrement while conveniently activating lighting to assist in excrement removal. Optionally, the tool of the present invention may allow the pet owner to conveniently activate lighting to assist the pet owner to see sidewalks and obstacles and to make herself visible to others. The lighting devices of the present invention are integrated into the design of the pet excrement tool and provide for convenient activation of the lighting device by a pet owner that is also controlling a pet via a leash or similar tool with another hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates In side view one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates in top perspective view the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates in side view the bottom portion of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates in bottom view the device of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 illustrates in side view the top portion of the device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a pet excrement collection tool according to one embodiment of the present invention. Starting with item 10 the Pick-lip Hopper Assembly is opened by pulling item 15, the Spring Loaded Movable Pick-up Hopper activation Handle upward, resulting In separation of the opposing jaws of Item 10, the Pick-Up Hopper Assembly (See FIGS. 3 & 4). The open jaws are then placed around the pet fecal matter having been deposited on the ground. Releasing the spring loaded Movable Pick-up Hopper Activation Handle, 15, the opposing jaws of item 10, the Pick-Up Hopper Assembly will close.

Prior to the above-identified activity, if the pet owner is out with their pet in a dark area of at night, the operator would depress either of the handle mounted electrical switches identified as item 19 located at the two ends of Item 16 the Fixed Handle, causing battery power to be applied to ground illumination lights 14, thus illuminating the general ground area where the pet bad deposited their fecal matter allowing the operator to identify its location. This action can also be used by the operator to illuminate sidewalks or obstacles to assist in general navigation while walking a pet during darkness. On pulling item 15, the Spring Loaded Movable Pick-up Activation Handle upward as explained above, item 21, the Pick-up Hopper Lights Activation Micro Switch will provide battery power to item 13, the two LED Pick-up Hopper Lights, illuminating Pick-up Hopper Assembly, item 10 and the ground below. On release of the handle, the Spring Loaded Movable Pick-Up Hopper Activation Handle, item 15 will pull the handle downward closing item 10, the Pick-up Hopper Assembly and releasing the switching mechanism of item 21, the Pick-up Hopper Light Activation Micro Switch and cutting off the power to the two LED lights of item 13, the Pick-up Hopper Lights.

The four (4) AA batteries required to power the four (4) LED lights are located in item 16, the Fixed Handle in item 17 the Battery Compartment

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 from the Fixed Handle, item 16 downward to Item 10, the Pick-up Hopper Assembly with the two jaws of the assembly in the open position.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the bottom, portion of the device of FIG. 1 with, the two jaws of item 10, the Pick-up Hopper Assembly with, the jaws in the closed position as well as item 14, the Two LED Side Ground Lights. As is apparent, Side Ground Lights 14 can be used, when illuminated, both, to find pet excrement and to illuminate sidewalks, curbs and other obstacles in order to assist in general navigation while walking a pet during darkness.

FIG. 4 is a close up view of Item 10, die Pick-up Hopper Assembly with the two jaws in the closed position, and item 14, the Two LED Pick-Up Hopper Side Ground Lights.

FIG. 5 is a close up view of the handle area consisting of item 15, the Spring Loaded Movable Pick-Up Hopper Activation Handle, the Fixed Handle, item #16, the Battery Compartment, item #17 the Battery Compartment Cover, item 18, two electrical switches to activate the two LED Pick-Up Hopper Side Lights item 19 and the four (4) AA batteries needed to power the four (4) LED lights, hem 20 and the Pick-up Hopper Light Activation Micro Switch item 21.

Certain features and potential modifications to the invention described above should apparent from the drawings and description. In FIG. 3 it Is apparent that side ground lights 14 are positioned so as to primarily illuminate the ground surrounding the closed Pick-up Hooper assembly 10. While this arrangement may be useful in permitting the pet owner to locate pet feces and to illuminate curbs, sidewalks and other potential obstacles, it might also be advantageous to arrange one or both of Side Ground Lights 14 to point in a direction more nearly perpendicular to the long axis of the tool. This might be better for illuminating such potential obstacles and may also improve the visibility of the pet owner to operators of nearby cars, bicycles and the like much in the manner that a bicycle headlight improves the visibility of the bicycle. Another possible modification intended to improve visibility involves adding reflective tape to the sides of the tool and optionally to aim one of both of Side Ground Lights 14 to illuminate the reflective tape. Additional lights activated by switches 19 might also be added for the purpose of improved visibility without sacrificing the utility of illuminating the ground surrounding Hopper 10.

If it should be desired to reduce the cost and complexity of the device described above, it would be possible to eliminate microswitch 21 and to activate all of the lights by means of switches 19. Having more LEDs activated when switches 19 are operated will increase the power consumed from batteries 20, of course, and so may require the addition of more or larger battery cells. 

1. A pet excrement collection tool comprising: an elongated bar having a first end and a second end; a first manually-operated mechanism mounted near the first end of the elongated bar; a second, manually-operated mechanism mounted near the first end of the elongated bar; a scoop mechanism having an open position and a closed position and mounted near the second, end of the elongated bar, the scoop mechanism is operable to collect pet excrement in response to actuation of the first manually-operated mechanism; a first illumination device mounted near the second end of the elongated bar, the first illumination device illuminates an area outside of the scoop mechanism in response to actuation of the second manually-operated mechanism; and a second illumination device mounted near the second end of the elongated bar, the second illumination mechanism illuminates an area inside of the scoop mechanism in response to activation of the first manually-operated mechanism.
 2. A pet excrement collection tool according to claim 1 said first mechanism further comprises; a first handle portion; a second handle portion, the scoop mechanism moves from the closed to the open position when the second handle portion is moved toward the first handle portion; and a switch arranged to provide power to the second illumination device when the second handle portion is moved toward the first handle portion.
 3. A pet excrement collection tool according to claim 2 further comprising: a battery holder located inside said first handle portion.
 4. A pet excrement collection tool according to claim 3 wherein the second manually-operated mechanism further comprises: a switch mounted to the first handle portion and arranged to provide power to the first illumination device when the switch is actuated.
 5. A pet excrement collection tool comprising: an elongated bar having a first end and a second end; a handle mounted near the first end of the elongated bar; a first manually-operated mechanism near the first end of the elongated bar; a scoop mechanism having an open position and a closed position and mounted near the second end of the elongated bar, the scoop mechanism is operable to collect pet excrement in response to actuation of the first manually-operated mechanism; a second manually-operated mechanism mounted near the handle; and an illumination device mounted near the second end of the elongated bar and arranged to illuminate an area near the scoop mechanism in response to actuation of the second manually-operated mechanism.
 6. A pet excrement collection tool according to claim 5 further comprising: a battery bolder located, inside the handle.
 7. A pet excrement collection tool according to claim 5 wherein the second manually-operated mechanism further comprises: a switch mounted to the handle and arranged to provide power to the illumination device when the switch is actuated.
 8. A pet. excrement collection toot according to claim 5 wherein the illumination device further comprises: a first illumination device arranged to illuminate an area outside the scoop mechanism; and a second illumination device arranged to illuminate an area inside the scoop mechanism. 